Another newbie here

[Rob2]

Just wanted to say hi to everybody .......great site! For about a year now, I've been running a small reef (45 gallons), mostly softies, with some LPS.......so far so good .... I'll be moving soon into a bigger place .... and a bigger tank (72 bow, with Oceanic sump Euro-reef skimmer ... thinking about MHs....probably two 250s. Will they create a lot of heat and am I going to need a chiller??? I would appreciate your input.

Thanks a bunch

 

[Moe_K]

Hi Rob2,

To the Boston Reefers' Society!!

72 bow sounds nice. Good luck on the move!

 

[Aquaman_68]

Welcome Rob, I think you will need a chiller in the summer if you bump up with 250mh. unless you want to chill your place to cool the tank down!!!

 

[denvig]

To Boston Reefers Society!!!

HI Rob
If your new place has AC you may not need the chiller. I ran a 55 with two 250w DE and no fans and only occasionally needed to float a couple of liter bottles of ice to cool things down. (Again the house has AC). After I put the sump in the basement I have had no heat problems at all.

 

[nhbloke]

Hi Rob2, welcome I am not as experinced? as most of the people on this site but only live 5 mins from you so if you need any help just ask, i have a 75gal tank with 2 250's with no chiller but do have a 55gal sump/refuge in my basement which helps greatly. There might be plans for a local tank tour in the next couple of months if so i will make sure you know. John

 

[NateHanson]

Welcome! Sounds like a nice upgrade. Well used fans may help you out, as well as using lower wattage and lower heat-producing pumps/powerheads. But, as the others here have said, there's nothing better that I did for my tank than putting a bigger sump in the basement. Do that if you can manage. Keeps the tank area cleaner and quieter, and adds a lot to the tank for stability, temperature, and ease of maintenance.


Nate

 

[rtc_reefer]

Rob, Welcome again! I live quite close to you also. We indeed are in the preliminary stages of organizing a local area tank tour. I'll send you a PM regarding what we have discussed already. This would help you out quite a bit to see what others have implemented and are planning. As for the Halides, I have 2 - 250 watt over a 120 in an enclosed canopy with two variable speed fans and have yet to have a problem with heat tank max'ed out at 86 this summer. My sump is below the tank (not for long tho). My house in AC'd in the summer at about 73 - 75 degrees. I did however install exhaust fans in the sump area during the hot months. However I do have a chiller that will soon be installed in the system so I can get rid of the sump fans and have the security. I am doing all I can to avoid a crash.

Please check out my ReefCentral gallery for pics of the Canopy and fan arrangement. Although the pics do not show how the air circulation in the canopy is designed. ( I have no light leaks at all from the canopy.)

 

[Rob2]

Thanks everybody....... the new place is a three story townhouse in Hooksett, basement is all finished, one of those walkout basements with patio door, and the tank is going in there. I think with well placed fans I should be OK.
Rick got your PM, sounds great!